Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-10-05

[Springfeld Republican.
CONSTITUTIONAL CENTENNIAL.
How the Constitution was Formed--
Causes that led to its Creation.
The American colonists, as British
subjects, were granted only limited
political rights, and these were confer
red by the King at his pleasure. The
colonial governors and judges were
appointed by the Crown, but in all of
the colonies there existed a representa-
tive assembly, elected by the people,
and a council whose members were
chosen by the King. All laws passed
| by the colonial legislatures, before they
became operative, were approved by
the Crown, who also had the power to
veto any laws that were deemed to be
not in continuity to; those of England.
The immediate cause of the reyolu-
ton was the enactment of oppressive
laws by the British parliament The
colonies were forbidden from import
ing goods except in British vessels or
to export any product that English
merchants or manufacturers demanded
for this use. The colonists were pro-
hibited from selling abroad any wooden
manufactured goods, or to manufacture
iron. Heavy duties were laid upon all
commodities imported from other
countries than Great Britain and her
possessions. These laws were supple
mented by the assertion of the right OF
the mother country to tax the colonies,
and tea, glass, and paper were made
dutiable. This claim the colonists re-
sisted, and in 1774, the colonies united
upon plan for a general congress.
which met on the 18th of September of
that year, This body formulated bill
of right, declaring in substance as fol-
lows:
~ That the people of the colonies
are entitled to life, liberty and prop
erty, and that the crown could not
dispose of either without their
consent; (2) that our ancestors who
| first settled the colonies, were at the
time of their emigration, British SUBJ
jects, and entitled to all the rights and
| immunities of natural born subjects of
the realm of England, and that they by
no means lost or forfeited any of their
rights; (3) that the foundation of En-
glish liberty is right of the people to
participate in their legislative councils,
but from regard to the interests of both
countries they cheerfully consent to the
operation of such laws of parliament
as are restrained to the purpose of Sc
curing commercial advantages of the
whole empire of Great Britain, exclud-
ing every action of taxation. internal
or external, fer raising revenue on the
| subjects in America, without their con.
sent; az that the colonies are entitled
to the right of petition to the king; (5)
that the keeping of standing army in
a colony without its consent is against
law; that the appointment of members
Of the council by the king is destruc-
tive of the freedom of American legis-
lahon. In May, 1776, the congress
again convened. and this was the MEM
! orable body that adopted the Declare
ton of Independence.
In November, 1777, congress framed
the "artlcles OF confederation and per-
petual union between the states. y
These articles were ratified by all the
states, Maryland being the last to do
SO, in 1881. The articles at the close
of the war were found to be defective.
The powers granted could not be exer-
cised in time of peace, because they
contained no coercive authority. The
states were bound together by a COM
pact which could be broken at the pleas
ure of any of them. Congress could
levy taxes, but could not collect
them except by consent Of the states; it
could appoint ambassadors but could
not provide for compensation for their
services. acquisitions upon the states
for money to pay interest ON the public
debt were disregarded. The public
credit was at low ebb. In the execu-
tive departments the new government
was weak, and dependent solely upon
the consent of the Independent states
The articles of confederation sufliced
wien the common purpose of gaining
political independence of Great Britain
moved the whole mass of the people,
but for the civil government OF the
union it was weak and ineffective. 1t
was union based upon the idea OF
states rights, which was adhered to by
some publicists even after the adoption
of the present constitution. Jeaiousies
arose between the several states. The
interests of some were supposed to be
affected injuriously BY the Legislation
of others. Each had it's own peculiar
commercial regulations, and amid the
confusion and conflict of laws every in
terest was well nigh FRUSTRATED and
ruined. The liberties which the peo-
pie had won at SO much cost and sac
rifice were about to perish. The wise
ga E s